Port Orleans French Quarter FAQ thread - Refurbished for 2011 - Now CLOSED

[pwdebbie]

Help I'm always so indecisive! DD17 hated ASMovies rooms. She said the rooms were nasty, but I didn't have a problem with them. Right now I have POR-newly rennovated room requested, booked for Christmas. I'm thinking of switching to POFQ to ensure a rennovated room (DD is a resort snob). I have never been to either. Should I switch?

Of course you should switch. There, decision made.

 

[pwdebbie]

We LOVE PO-FQ and have stayed 5 times but our Nov trip may be the last time. It wasn't terrible but just not as magical for us.

Gee, we were there in November and didn't really have any problems. I'm sorry your stay was disappointing.

 

[pwdebbie]

As for the cleaning issue, for some people a VIP clean is requested and it is not always that easy to move to another room. I know in our case the room was quite clean but Mousekeeping left the carpeting soaking wet and it dried wrong causing my daughter to react and thus causing her allergies and asthma to flare. My daughter went from having the best pulminary function test in her life just shortly before the trip to struggling again in the matter of a 4 days (we will find out tomorrow what her pft looks like now but she is not back to where she was). We did change rooms after I talked to the manager but we had stayed in that room for almost 4 days.

My husband has lung problems and someone suggested to us when we were planning our first trip that we should have a VIP cleaned room. However, when we talked to our TA, she said that the chemicals used for the special cleaning are actually worse for someone with lung problems, so we didn't request the special cleaning. He has had no flare ups at all during any of our trips and we've never had the VIP cleaning. Perhaps the VIP cleaning isn't beneficial to everyone.

 

[KELLY]

We LOVE PO-FQ and have stayed 5 times but our Nov trip may be the last time. It wasn't terrible but just not as magical for us. We didn't wait for check in or any other front desk usage. Our room was not properly cleaned each day like basics of wiping out sinks and vacuming. We aren't that messy but it was clearly not touched. We also only got toiletries restocked 3 nights out of 6 which was a PITA for sharing shampoo among 4. In the past we LOVED the food court. This visit they had way less options, fave entrees were gone, more prepackaged stuff for desserts, seriously off tasting bacon served multiple days even once we told them, and not enough staff so
Huge lines even when not that busy. We were also very irritated by huge waits for dtd boat service and bus service. The boat line back was well over 90 minutes at 8pm on a not busy at all park day so switched to bus and waited over an hour for a bus. Staff for kids activities were AWFUL. If they don't have decent staff they shouldn't offer the activities. We love the looks and size of the resort but not sure if we want to stay again unless they start putting more consistent effort into
creating a positive experience. We ate a meal at POR and my kids said they'd rather stay there now even if they had to walk more and stand on the bus....

The room cleaning issue is why we haven't returned. The past 2 trips our room at POFQ well just wasn't clean. I'm not super pickey either but the last 2 trips at pop even before refurb our room was spotless. We really want to return to POFQ and probably will. But we needed to give it a break.

That being said it is my favorite of the moderates the only one we haven't tried yet is CBR.

 

[David Brent]

We've got a direct flight that arrives at 10:35 a.m. on Saturday. Is it reasonable to think that we would be at POFQ and checked in by 12:00 or 12:30? I"m pretty sure we can't get into our room that early, but will we be able to get our Keys to the World?

from my experience, especially being only 2 hrs from WDW, i've never had a problem getting a room even at 8 or 9 in the morning. i never make any special requests, so i guess it's easier for me. i think the CM's just give whatever is available/clean to whomever checks in. if we get a refurbished room, ok, if we don't, oh well. i'd rather have my room just taken care of so i can put all my stuff in it and get on w/ my day and hit up the parks. thats just my opinion.

i'm going to FQ march 29-31(tues-thur morning). i'm staying w/ my cousin who lives in orlando the night before so i can save a couple of hours tuesday morning. my g/f and i plan on arriving to FQ around 8ish morning.

 

[Missytara]

Are you able to add a room request when you do online check-in?? I called and added mine to my reservation but I didn't know you could do that when you check-in online!

No, she is just indicating that she did online check-in already and they had requested a refurb room. Two different things.

She is no doubtedly referring to when they made the ressie or updated it when POFQ started their refurb.

 

[kaffinito]

Hi all! My family is staying at POFQ for our first Disney vacation in September! Super excited, of course!! I had a few rooms questions that I was hoping people could help me with.

We've got a direct flight that arrives at 10:35 a.m. on Saturday. Is it reasonable to think that we would be at POFQ and checked in by 12:00 or 12:30? I"m pretty sure we can't get into our room that early, but will we be able to get our Keys to the World? We will have some carryon bags with us from the plane. Do we put those in the ME bus or do we give them to the people at checkin, or what?

My other question has to do with garden grocer delivery. It is my understanding that we don't need to be at the resort to accept delivery. I would like to order water, snacks, etc. including milk and yogurt for my young son. Will this be a problem? Do I need to make sure that I am at the resort to accept delivery so my milk doesn't spoil?

I appreciate the help!

Thank you!

If you need to be in your room when you check in - just ask for "first available room" when you're at the front desk. If you don't make any special requests, they will usually put you in a room right away.

Can't help you with the grocery question though.

 

[bakerjay]

I haven't gotten through all the responses yet but keep seeing mentions of requesting a refurb room...but I haven't seen anything that says when people requested it? When they checked in? When they made the res? At some point before arrival, even after reservation was made?

We arrive in exactly one month, which I know is shy of the whole refurb being complete. I booked my trip through Amex vacations -- can I call and make a request now for a refurb room? If so, what number do I call?

 

[Wonders10]

I haven't gotten through all the responses yet but keep seeing mentions of requesting a refurb room...but I haven't seen anything that says when people requested it? When they checked in? When they made the res? At some point before arrival, even after reservation was made?

We arrive in exactly one month, which I know is shy of the whole refurb being complete. I booked my trip through Amex vacations -- can I call and make a request now for a refurb room? If so, what number do I call?

I know some will say that they put requests on their actual reservation, but I have never done that. If there is a location I'm interested in, I ask at check in if there is anything available in such and such area. 8/10 times they have been able to easily (to me anyway) put me in my requested area. Occasonally I have had to wait til afternoon for it to be ready but sometimes they have it right then. Maybe that isn't the way you are supposed to do it, but its the way I've been doing it and its worked out great!

 

[snykymom]

I haven't gotten through all the responses yet but keep seeing mentions of requesting a refurb room...but I haven't seen anything that says when people requested it? When they checked in? When they made the res? At some point before arrival, even after reservation was made?

We arrive in exactly one month, which I know is shy of the whole refurb being complete. I booked my trip through Amex vacations -- can I call and make a request now for a refurb room? If so, what number do I call?

People generally make their room requests when they book the reservation. Or at the desk when the get there.

Since you booked a trip through a travel agent, you need to call your agent to make any requests and he or she will call Disney. Disney's call center for the general public will have no record of your reservation yet.

 

[yankeefan46]

Thanks to everyone who answered my standard view/parking lot question. More so worried about headlights and traffic noise than the actual sight of cars, but I'm not worried at all now!

We had a parking lot view in December but it had views of Magic Kingdom fireworks everynight from the balcony =)

Not all parking lot views are bad lol

I would have to agree with that!!! Do you remember which room/building you were in? I'd gladly wear ear plugs and an eye mask if it meant seeing fireworks before I fell asleep

 

[NYEmomma]

It's official -- we're doing POFQ in October!

Initially my brother didn't want to stay there because we have in the past & he wanted something new... but he decided it would be the best option for us. Smaller resort (which will be GREAT for my DD) and better busing than CBR, which was the other resort we were considering.

I'm so excited. DH & I both love POFQ and I think my brother & his g/f will like the easy access to DTD.

Just waiting for the fancy-shmancy new PINs that are apparently coming out March 1, keeping my fingers crossed that someone in my family will get one & then we'll book! (though we'll be booking either way).

 

[Leajess99]

My husband has lung problems and someone suggested to us when we were planning our first trip that we should have a VIP cleaned room. However, when we talked to our TA, she said that the chemicals used for the special cleaning are actually worse for someone with lung problems, so we didn't request the special cleaning. He has had no flare ups at all during any of our trips and we've never had the VIP cleaning. Perhaps the VIP cleaning isn't beneficial to everyone.

This was our 4th experience with VIP cleaning and my daughter never had any problems before. It was the result of them leaving the carpet so wet. She also gets the fragrance free stuff.

 

[andrewilley]

I guess drying a carpet in a day wouldn't be so easy at this time of year. We had a room in Riverside last October and our mousekeeper mentioned to us that the carpet had been cleaned that morning so it might still be a bit wet, but in the Florida temperatures any last bits of moisture were gone very quickly.

Andre

 

[minniemee]

Can't wait to get back to POFQ, it's been a while for us!!!! Hoping for one of the newly refurbished rooms with "queen sized beds"!!!!

 

[Punchy]

When should I request a pack n' play?

 

[melnbil]

I have been reading the reviews on Allears and the last month or so there have been a lot of complaints of housekeeping. Is it possible that it is due to the refurb or maybe some new mousekeepers? I am looking forward to being there, but am getting worried about the room being clean.

 

[andrewilley]

When should I request a pack n' play?

Hmm, when you have a baby with you?






Sorry...

You can request one in advance, and have that info added to your booking, but they may well even be able to sort one out for you if you ask while you are there. Best to be sure and request beforehand though.

Andre

 

[Punchy]

Hah! If it's anything like daycare around here, I would had to request one before I even got married!

I have heard that resort requests like that are best made within a certain time period before check-in, when my booking is moved from the main reservations centre over to the hotel.

I'll give them a call tonight just to be sure.

 

[summerlady]

I have been reading the reviews on Allears and the last month or so there have been a lot of complaints of housekeeping. Is it possible that it is due to the refurb or maybe some new mousekeepers? I am looking forward to being there, but am getting worried about the room being clean.

Personally, I've never had a problem with mousekeeping at POFQ, our rooms have always been perfectly clean. Check your room completely when it's ready and if anything isn't to your liking, go to the front desk right away. And I mean walk there, don't make a phone call to housekeeping.